The Importance of Non-Binary Models in the Fashion Industry

In the fashion world, androgyny seems to be having a revival. Men are wearing heels, women are sporting suits —
and models who blend ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ traits are more and more visible. Today, more and more people are learning about the fluidity of gender. In part, this is because of the visibility of genderqueer and non-binary celebrities like Ruby Rose and Amandla Stenberg. Sometimes androgynous looks are presented by non-binary models; sometimes they’re presented by models who identify within those binaries. The fashion world is no stranger when it comes to challenging gender roles, but representation of androgynous and gender non-conforming models are limited. Googling ‘androgynous models’ turns up plenty of pictures of white, thin, conventionally-attractive people with sharp cheekbones — and not much else.

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If you’re unsure of the terminology, here’s a refresher. When it comes to gender, we’re told that there are two genders — male and female — and that you’re either one or the other. Non-binary people defy this binary by identifying outside of it. They might identify as neither male and female, or both male and female, or as a number of different genders, or no gender at all. ‘Androgynous’ is a word some people might use to describe their gender, but in this article, I’m using it to refer to an aesthetic that combines both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny is being embraced in the fashion world. But are non-binary models being accepted and celebrated, too?

At one agency, they are. When one of their models felt uncomfortable describing themselves as either male or female at a casting, the team at South African modeling agency My Friend Ned realized there was a need for a non-binary division at the agency. Previously, the agency’s models were categorized as either male or female. Now, seven of their models can be found under the ‘non-binary’ tab. They were the first South African agency to do this, and there are still very few agencies around the world that have divisions specifically for non-binary models.

“The model wasn’t out yet, but they told me they weren’t comfortable with ticking any of the boxes on the form because they didn’t identify as either male or female,” says Fani Segerman, My Friend Ned’s Creative Director. “We’ve always been a space where we welcome people as they are and we celebrate people as they are and we thought, why not just create a space for them where they feel comfortable?” At the time, Segerman and the agency’s co-founder, Candice Hatting, knew of two non-binary models that were already on their books. “We thought, ‘Let’s start it, even though it’s small. At least these two models that we really love and care about can feel comfortable in this space.’” After the non-binary division was launched, more models came out, and their books grew.

The non-binary division wasn’t made to cater to clients who were specifically seeking non-binary models, but rather to make the models themselves feel comfortable. There isn’t a huge demand for non-binary models in the South African industry, according to Hatting. And when there is a demand for androgynous or genderqueer models, the clients don’t always get gender representation right.

Segerman notes that some companies might tokenize non-binary models. “Sometimes, potential clients want to seem progressive by including a non-binary individual and then patting themselves on the back,” she says. “People might want to cash in on it as a trend.”

Brandon Browne, one of My Friend Ned’s models, points out that the representation of non-binary models is still limited. “I also think that lots of people in the industry specifically use androgynous people in their work, however, there is not much representation for others who fall under the non-binary 'umbrella' ,” he says. Brandon, who identifies as genderqueer, uses the pronouns ‘he’ and ‘she’.

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“I feel there has been more hype for androgynous people, and other gender identities that fall under the 'non binary umbrella' are being underutilized and not as widely recognized,” she says. “There is certainly a market for non-binary people in the fashion industry, yet that market is being filled by binary people.”

Even within androgyny, some looks are privileged over others. “Most popular androgynous models fit a very specific mold. I feel that there isn't enough equal representation for non-binary people of color and those with different body types,” he says. The issue with this is that certain non-binary people are made to feel desirable and beautiful, while others aren’t represented at all. Browne is an example of why androgynous and non-binary models are important, as he got into modeling after being inspired by androgynous model Rain Dove.

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So, what can casting agencies do to support non-binary people? Segerman says that the team at My Friend Ned made sure to educate themselves on gender issues when they opened their non-binary division. They also communicate with clients who plan on hiring certain models: they’ll email their clients letting them know the model’s pronouns and explaining that they’re non-binary.

Clients might choose non-binary models to represent binary characters. Certain roles might be hyper-feminine or hyper-masculine, while others might be more androgynous. Segerman talks to the chosen models about their exact role to make sure that they’re comfortable portraying it. One model might feel comfortable playing a role intended for a man, while another might not. “We really have to be careful and treat each model individually and according to what their limitations are and their desires are,” Hatting says. “But it’s tricky, because we are in an industry of make-believe as well and the fact is that models sometimes need to create a new character and that might not align with their identity. So, we talk to or models to make sure they’re okay with what our client wants.”

The fashion industry is about aesthetics, after all — but being non-binary is more than an aesthetic. It’s an identity. And while representing binary-defying fashion is important, respecting those who transcend the binary is even more so.